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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to wheel covers for automobiles and, more particularly, to a wheel cover for automobiles, the emblem part of which is separated from the remaining part of the wheel cover, with a balance weight provided in the emblem part for maintaining the emblem part at an upright position regardless of a rotation of the remaining part of the wheel cover, thus allowing the emblem or symbol formed on the emblem part to be more clearly recognized by observers.
2. Background of the Invention
As shown in FIG. 1, conventional wheel covers 100 for automobiles are designed such that they are externally and detachably attached to the central portions of the wheels of an automobile so as to finish the appearance of the wheels mounted with tires 200. Each of the conventional wheel covers 100 is an integrated body, with an emblem part 300 provided at the central portion of the wheel cover 100 and typically marked with the emblem or symbol of a wheel cover""s manufacturer. The conventional wheel covers 100 having such an integrated structure are rotated at a high speed along with the wheels when the automobile runs along a street as shown in FIG. 2. Since the conventional wheel covers 100 are rotated at a high speed along with the wheels, it is almost impossible for observers to recognize the emblem or symbol formed on the wheel covers 100 during rotation of the wheels.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wheel cover for automobiles, in which the emblem part marked with the emblem or symbol of a wheel cover""s manufacturer or another advertising message or figure is separated from the remaining part of the wheel cover, and is provided with a balance weight capable of maintaining the emblem part at an upright position regardless of a rotation of the remaining part of the wheel cover, thus allowing observers to clearly recognize the emblem, symbol, message or figure formed on the emblem part during rotation of the wheels.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a wheel cover for automobiles, comprising: a central depression formed at the center of the wheel cover, with a bearing mounted at the center of the rear surface of the depression; an emblem plate having a rotating shaft at the center of its rear surface and rotatably set in the central depression such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the bearing, the emblem plate also having an emblem sheet on its front surface; a balance weight made of a heavy material and attached to the lower portion of the rear surface of the emblem plate; a rotor rotatably mounted to the center of the rear surface of the weight such that the rotating angle of the rotor is limited within a range of about 40xc2x0 by two stop pins provided on the rear surface of the weight, the rotor thus almost completely preventing a rotation of the emblem plate; and a protective cap covering the emblem plate so as to protect the emblem sheet from external damage.